Panagbenga 2017: Mabini scores grandslam

APOLINARIO Mabini Elementary school bagged top honors in the 22nd edition of the Grand Street Dance Parade Competition with their performance of thanksgiving depicting how a mountainside village pays homage to the almighty for giving the gift of nature.

The defending champions got the P150,000 prize as they reigned supreme, hugging the top spot since 2014 besting all other schools including rival Baguio Central School which placed second and Emilio Aguinaldo Elementary School at third taking home P130,000 and P120,000 respectively followed by Josefa Cariño with P80,000 and Jose P. Laurel with P60,000. Pinget, Dominican- Mirador, Doña Aurora and Camp 6 all went home with P40,000 a piece.

For the high school division, Baguio City High School took home top plum with P100,000 with their performance entitled “Life’s Bliss under Nature,” which pays homage to the magnificence of nature in a dance of gratitude for God, performers used recycled materials for their costumes, followed by Saint Louis University Laboratory in second place with P70,000 and Pines City National High School with P50,000 and Pinsao National High School with P30,000.

In the open division, Pugo Catholic School with their presentation of the town’s traditional Tinugbo earned the nod of judges taking home P130,000 followed by Lubuagan Performing Group, Kalinga with 100,000 and Virac, Itogon with P80,000.

The Pugo Catholic School depicted traditional life of farmers cooking food using bamboo called “tinugbo” prepared with love and care with a distinct smell and taste.

The Lubuagan Performing group displayed the culture of the province through the town’s dance called the Challichog and Segseg performed during harvest season while the local weave “gilamat” is a distinct design trademarked by the town using the colors of red, green, yellow and white in their looms.

Consolation prizes of 30,000 each went to the Cholibes Cultural Ensemble, Manaoag National High School Drum and Lyre Corps, The “Chows” of Santa Maria De Bethania Marching Show Band, Madaymen Drum and Lyre and the Ayoweng Di Gangsa group.

This year’s festival, dubbed “Inspired by Beauty, Nurtured by Nature,” saw 21 contingents sashaying the streets in competition for the best performance in portraying the theme.